The Food and Agriculture (FAO) launched an initiative for the dynamic conservation of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) during the World Summit on sustainable Development in 2002. GIAHS are specific agricultural systems and landscapes that reflect the co-evolution of humankind with its environment.
In 2005, FAO announced the call for nomination for GIAHS case studies and prospective partners for piloting dynamic conservation of agricultural heritage systems. The Philippine government (thru the Bureau of Soils and Water Management) submitted the Ifugao Rice Terraces as a case study. Following the prescribed GIAHS criteria for selection and in accordance with the GEF operational procedure for granting Trust Fund projects, the Philippine Government endorsed the GIAHS Project along with the funding commitment from its Resources Allocation Framework (RAF).
This document presents the Conservation and Adaptive Management of GIAHS: Ifugao Rice Terraces full project's scope, output, results and outcomes.